System and method for roaming protected content backup and distribution

ABSTRACT

A method includes receiving content and a license to the content at a storage system, receiving a request from a user system for the storage system to send the content and license to the user system, and sending the content and license from the storage system to the user system. Another method includes requesting content and a license to the content, receiving the content and license at a user system, requesting from the user system that the content and license be sent to a storage system, and requesting from the user system that the storage system send the content item to a second user system. In one embodiment, code could be used to perform a method that includes requesting content and a license to the content from a content provider, storing the content and license at a user system and a storage system, and requesting that the storage system send the content to another user system.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to a media system, and relates moreparticularly to displaying protected content on a media system.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option is an information handling system. An information handlingsystem generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicatesinformation or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Becausetechnology and information handling needs and requirements may varybetween different applications, information handling systems may alsovary regarding what information is handled, how the information ishandled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, andhow quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, orcommunicated. The variations in information handling systems allow forinformation handling systems to be general or configured for a specificuser or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airlinereservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. Inaddition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardwareand software resources that may be configured to process, store, andcommunicate information and may include one or more computer systems,data storage systems, and networking systems.

A user of a media system can obtain protected content from varioussources and use the protected content on the media system. The useroften desires to use the protected content on another media system, orobtain copies of the protected content in the event that the originalprotected content is lost, corrupted, inaccessible (e.g., as result of afailed storage device), or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements illustrated in the Figures have not necessarily been drawn toscale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements areexaggerated relative to other elements. Embodiments incorporatingteachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respectto the drawings presented herein, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary embodimentof an information handling system;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a network including a transactionthat permits a consumer to obtain, backup, and distribute protectedcontent;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment including a transaction where a contentitem and a license are sent from a content server to a consumer system;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment including a transaction where a contentitem and a license are sent from the content server to both the storageservice and the consumer system;

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment including a transaction where a contentitem and a license are sent from the content server directly to thestorage service;

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where secure devices enable theconsumer to share content with a media system;

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment including a transaction where thestorage service includes a content player that receives a content itemand a license from the storage service; and

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment including a fourteenth transactionwhere a content item and a license are received from the content serverby the user system, but only the license is received by the storageservice.

The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicatessimilar or identical items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The following description in combination with the Figures is provided toassist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The followingdiscussion will focus on specific implementations and embodiments of theteachings. This focus is provided to assist in describing the teachings,and should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope orapplicability of the teachings. However, other teachings can certainlybe used in this application. The teachings can also be used in otherapplications, and with several different types of architectures, such asdistributed computing architectures, client/server architectures, ormiddleware server architectures and associated resources.

For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system caninclude any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operableto compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, oruse any form of information, intelligence, or data for business,scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, aninformation handling system can be a personal computer, a personal dataassistant (PDA), a consumer electronic device such as a portable musicplayer, a portable DVD player, or a digital video recorder (DVR), anetwork server or storage device, a switch router, a wireless router, oranother network communication device, or any other suitable device, andcan vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. Aninformation handling system can also include a set of any of theforegoing devices.

The information handling system can include memory (volatile (e.g.random access memory (RAM), etc.), nonvolatile (read only memory (ROM),flash memory, etc.), or any combination thereof), one or more processingresources, such as a central processing unit (CPU), hardware, firmware,or software control logic, or any combination thereof. Additionalresources of the information handling system can include one or morestorage devices, one or more communications ports for communicating withexternal devices, as well as various input and output (I/O) devices,such as a keyboard, a mouse, a video display, or any combinationthereof. The information handling system can also include one or morebuses operable to transmit communications between the various hardwareresources. Portions of an information handling system may themselves beconsidered information handling systems.

Portions of an information handling system, when referred to as a“device”, a “module”, or the like, may be configured as hardware,firmware, software, or any combination thereof. For example, a device ora module may be hardware. A non-limiting example of a device or a moduleimplemented as hardware includes: an integrated circuit (e.g., anApplication Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field ProgrammableGate Array (FPGA), a structured ASIC, or a device embedded on a largerchip), a card (e.g., a Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) card, aPCI-express card, a Personal Computer Memory Card InternationalAssociation (PCMCIA) card, or other such expansion card), or a system(e.g., a motherboard, a system-on-a-chip (SoC), or a stand-alonedevice). Similarly, the device or module can be firmware (i.e., anysoftware running on an embedded device, a Pentium class or PowerPC™brand processor, or other such device) or software (i.e., any softwarecapable of operating in the relevant environment). The device or modulecan also be a combination of any of the foregoing examples of hardware,firmware, or software. Note that an information handling system caninclude an integrated circuit or a board-level product having portionsthereof that can also be any combination of hardware or software.

Devices or programs that are in communication with one another need notbe in continuous communication with each other, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In addition, devices or programs that are incommunication with one another may communicate directly or indirectlythrough one or more intermediaries.

Embodiments discussed below describe, in part, distributed computingsolutions that manage all or part of a communicative interaction betweennetwork elements. A network element may be a node, a piece of hardware,software, firmware, middleware, another component of a computing system,or any combination thereof. In this context, a communicative interactionmay be intending to send information, sending information, requestinginformation, receiving information, receiving a request for information,or any combination thereof. As such, a communicative interaction couldbe unidirectional, bi-directional, multi-directional, or any combinationthereof. In some circumstances, a communicative interaction could berelatively complex and, involve two or more network elements. Forexample, a communicative interaction may be “a conversation,” or seriesof related communications between a client and a server—each networkelement sending and receiving information to and from the other.Whatever form the communicative interaction takes, the network elementsinvolved need not take any specific form.

A communicative interaction can include management information andcontent information. As used herein, the term “management information”with respect to a communicative interaction, is intended to meaninformation used to direct, manage, or other wise control a network. Assuch, management information can be used by the network elements toidentify the particular network elements that are coupled to thenetwork, set-up and initialize the network elements, control routing ofcommunicative interactions, perform another suitable function, or anycombination thereof. A non-limiting example of management informationincludes a router set-up command, data packet header information (e.g.,addresses), an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) message (e.g.,echo request, router discovery, timestamp, etc.), other suitablemanagement information, or any combination thereof.

The term “content information” with respect to a communicativeinteraction, is intended to mean information that is not managementinformation. Thus, content information can include information that istargeted to one or more network element, is received by the targetedelements to be processed or manipulated, displayed, stored, forwarded toanother network element, perform another suitable function, or anycombination thereof. A non-limiting example of content informationincludes most data packet payload information, a media file (e.g.,audio, video, or picture files, etc.), a textual file (e.g., e-mail,word processing files, etc.), a program, a data file (e.g., spreadsheetor database file, etc.), another suitable form of content information,or any combination thereof.

Two or more information handling systems can be coupled together in anetwork such that individual information handling systems in thenetwork, referred to as nodes of the network, can exchange informationwith each other. A non-limiting example of a network includes a localarea network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a storage areanetwork (SAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless local area network(WLAN), a virtual private network (VPN), an intranet, the Internet, anyother appropriate network architecture or system, or any combinationthereof. The nodes on a network can include storage devices, fileservers, print servers, personal computers, laptop computers, personaldata assistants, media content players, other devices capable of beingcoupled to a network, or any combination thereof.

In the description below, a flow-charted technique may be described in aseries of sequential actions. The sequence of the actions, and the partyperforming the steps may be freely changed without departing from thescope of the teachings. Actions may be added, deleted, or altered inseveral ways. Similarly, the actions may be re-ordered or looped.Further, although processes, methods, algorithms, or the like may bedescribed in a sequential order, such processes, methods, algorithms, orany combination thereof may be operable to be performed in alternativeorders. Further, some actions within a process, method, or algorithm maybe performed simultaneously during at least a point in time (e.g.,actions performed in parallel), can also be performed in whole, in part,or any combination thereof.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes, ”“including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, areintended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process,method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of features is notnecessarily limited only to those features, but may include otherfeatures not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method,article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary,“or” refers to an inclusive-or and not to an exclusive-or. For example,a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true(or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or notpresent) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (orpresent).

Also, the use of “a” or “an” is employed to describe elements andresources described herein. This is done merely for convenience, and togive a general sense of the scope of the invention. This descriptionshould be read to include one, or at least one, and the singular alsoincludes the plural, or vice versa, unless it is clear that it is meantotherwise. For example, when a single device is described herein, morethan one device may be used in place of a single device. Similarly,where more than one device is described herein, a single device may besubstituted for that one device.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materialssimilar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in thepractice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, suitablemethods and materials are described below. All publications, patentapplications, patents, and other references mentioned herein areincorporated by reference in their entirety, unless a particular passageis cited. In case of conflict, the present specification, includingdefinitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, andexamples are illustrative only, and not intended to be limiting.

To the extent not described herein, many details regarding specificmaterials, processing acts, and circuits are conventional, and may befound in textbooks and other sources within the computing, electronics,and software arts.

A media system can be used to display protected content. A media systemcan include an information handling system, a subset of the componentsof an information handling system, or none of the components of aninformation handling system. A non-limiting example of a media systemincludes a personal computer, a laptop computer, a television set-topbox, a music player, a compact disk (CD) or digital video disk (DVD)player, a photo display device, another suitable media system, or anycombination thereof. Protected content is typically purchased by orotherwise licensed to a user of the media system. Content protection isemployed to ensure that only a purchaser or licensed user can displaythe content. The purchaser or licensee of protected content willhereinafter be referred to as a user of protected content. Contentprotection typically employs the delivery of the content item and aseparate license, such as an electronic key that permits the display ofthe content by the user on the media system. A non-limiting example ofcontent protection includes Digital Rights Management (DRM),High-bandwidth digital Content Protection (HDCP), Content ScramblingSystem (CSS), another content protection system, or any combinationthereof. Protected content can include software, programs, data, picturefiles, audio files, video files, or any other type of content that acontent owner wishes to protect. As such, as used hereinafter, thedisplay of protected content includes running protected software andprograms, using and visually rendering protected data, visuallyrendering protected picture files, playback of protected audio files,playback and visually rendering protected video files, another use ofprotected content by a media system, or any combination thereof.

Content providers typically manage content servers that are coupled to anetwork, so that prospective users can gain access to the protectedcontent. When a prospective user desires to obtain a particular contentitem, the user typically interact with the content server, such as via aweb interface, to purchase or license the content item. The user thendownloads the content item and the license from the content provider tothe user's media system. A user can download hundreds, or even thousandsof content items from a content provider. For example, a typical user'smusic library may include thousands of content items (e.g., individualsongs) that were downloaded from different content providers (e.g.,individual band web sites).

A user may desire to display the protected content on more than onemedia system, or make a back-up copy in case of data loss on a mediasystem. However, recreating or duplicating a large library of protectedcontent can be difficult when the user tries to just transfer protectedcontent from one media system to another media system, or to a back-upstorage device. One reason for the difficulty is that licenses inelectronic form are typically required in order to correctly display theprotected content, and the licenses are not always found in the samelocation (e.g., directory, registry location, etc.) as the contentitems. Thus, simply copying the content items from one media system toanother media system, or to the back-up storage device, may not permitthe protected content to be displayed on the other media system, or onthe first media system when the content items are copied back from theback-up storage device. As such, transferring protected content canrequire that the user understands the content protection scheme.Further, different protection schemes can require different treatment tocorrectly transfer protected content.

If the user tries to re-obtain the protected content from the originalcontent providers, the user first has to determine which protectedcontent was obtained from which content provider. Next, the user needsto re-download the desired protected content to the second media system,or the back-up storage device. Where a content provider retains a listof content items downloaded by the user (e.g., the user has a standingaccount with that content provider), the user may be able to downloadall of the protected content in one transaction. However, when a contentprovider does not retain a list of downloaded items, the user will haveto individually download each content item of the desired protectedcontent. Further, content providers sometimes treat each download as aseparate cost transaction, or limit the number of copies that can bedownloaded, so the creation of duplicate or back-up libraries can becostly. The time, energy and cost of duplicating a library aremultiplied as the user tries to duplicate the user's library to stillfurther media systems.

An information handling system and method of using it are describedbelow. An exemplary, non-limiting system description is described beforeaddressing methods of using it. Some of the functionality of moduleswithin the system is described with the system. The utility of thesystem and its modules will become more apparent with the description ofthe methods that follow the description of the system and modules.

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary embodimentof an information handling system, generally designated as 100. Theinformation handling system 100 can include a processor 102 coupled to ahost bus 106, and can further include one or more additional processors,generally designated as an n^(th) processor 104, coupled to a host bus108. The processor 102 can be coupled to a chipset 110 via the host bus106 and the n^(th) processor 104 can be coupled to the chipset 110 viathe host bus 108. The chipset 110 can support the processors 102 through104, allowing for simultaneous processing by the processors 102 through104, and can support the exchange of information within the informationhandling system 100 during multiple processing operations. In an aspect,the chipset 110 can function to provide access to the processor 102using host bus 106, and the n^(th) processor 104 using the host bus 108.In another aspect, the chipset 110 can include a dedicated bus (notillustrated) to transfer data between the processor 102 and the n^(th)processor 104.

The information handling system 100 can include a memory 120 coupled toa memory bus 122. In accordance with an aspect, the chipset 110 can bereferred to as a memory hub or a memory controller, where the memory 120can be coupled to the chipset 110 via the memory bus 122. For example,the chipset 110 can include an Accelerated Hub Architecture (AHA)enabled-chipset that can include a memory controller hub and an I/Ocontroller hub. As a memory controller hub, the chipset 110 can becoupled to the host buses 106 through 108, and the memory bus 122 asindividual buses, or as part of the same bus (not illustrated). Thechipset 110 can also provide bus control and can handle transfersbetween the host buses 106 through 108, and the memory bus 122. Inaccordance with another aspect (not illustrated), the informationhandling system can include a separate memory dedicated to eachprocessor 102 through 104. Each memory can include a memory bus coupledbetween each processor 102 through 104 and its dedicated memory. Inaccordance with yet another aspect, the chipset 110 can be generallyconsidered an application specific chipset that provides connectivity tovarious buses, and integrates other system functions. For example, thechipset 110 can be provided using a chipset that includes two parts: aGraphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) and an I/O Controller Hub(ICH). The chipset 110 can also be packaged as an ASIC.

The information handling system 100 can also include a graphicsinterface 130 that can be coupled to the chipset 110 using the graphicsbus 132. The graphics interface 130 can provide a video display output136 to the video display 134. In one form, the graphics interface 130can be an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) interface to display contentwithin a video display 134. Other graphics interfaces (not illustrated)may also be used in addition to the graphics interface 130 if needed ordesired. The video display 134 can include one or more types of videodisplays, such as a flat panel display or other type of display device.

The information handling system 100 can also include an I/O channel 112connected to the chipset 110. The I/O channel 112 can include aPeripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Extended (PCI-X) bus,a high-speed link of PCI-Express (PCIe) lanes, another industry standardor proprietary bus or link, or any combination thereof. In oneembodiment, a PCI bus can be operated at approximately 66 MHz, a PCI-Xbus can be operated at approximately 133 MHz, and a PCIe link can beoperated at approximately 250 million bytes per second (MB/s) per lanein each direction. PCI buses, PCI-X buses, and PCIe links can beprovided to comply with industry standards for connecting andcommunicating between various PCI, PCI-X and PCIe enabled hardwaredevices, respectively. The chipset 110 can include other buses inassociation with, or independent of, the I/O channel 112, includingother industry standard buses (e.g., Industry Standard Architecture(ISA), Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI), Inter-Integrated Circuit(I²C), System Packet Interface (SPI), or Universal Serial Bus (USB),proprietary buses or any combination thereof.

In an alternate embodiment, the chipset 110 can be a chipset employing aNorthbridge/Southbridge chipset configuration (not illustrated). Forexample, a Northbridge portion of the chipset 110 can communicate withthe processors 102 through 104 using the host buses 106 through 108, andcan control interaction with the memory 120, the I/O channel 112, andactivities for the video graphics interface 130. The chipset 110 canalso include a Southbridge portion (not illustrated) of the chipset 110,and can handle I/O functions of the chipset 110. The Southbridge portioncan manage basic forms of I/O, such as USB, serial I/O, audio outputs,Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), ISA I/O, or any combination thereoffor the information handling system 100.

The information handling system 100 can also include a basicinput/output system (BIOS) module 140 that can be coupled to the I/Ochannel 112. The BIOS module 140 can include BIOS code operable todetect and identify resources within the information handling system100, provide the appropriate drivers for those resources, initializethose resources, and access those resources.

The information handling system 100 can further include a diskcontroller 150 coupled to the I/O channel 112. The disk controller 150can include a disk interface 152 that can include other industrystandard buses (e.g., Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), ParallelAdvanced Technology Attachment (PATA), Serial Advanced TechnologyAttachment (SATA), SCSI, or USB or proprietary buses, or any combinationthereof. The disk controller 150 can be coupled to one or more diskdrives via the disk interface 152. Such disk drives include a hard diskdrive (HDD) 154 or an optical disk drive (ODD) 156 (e.g., a Read/WriteCompact Disk (R/W-CD), a Read/Write Digital Video Disk (R/W-DVD), aRead/Write mini Digital Video Disk (R/W mini-DVD), or another type ofoptical disk drive), or any combination thereof. The optical disk drive166 can read a removable data storage medium (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD),a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a mini Digital Video Disk (mini-DVD), orother optical media). Additionally, the information handling system 100can include a disk emulator 160 that is coupled to the disk interface152. The disk emulator 160 can permit a solid-state drive 164 to becoupled to the information handling system 100 via an external interface162. The external interface 162 can include other industry standardbusses (e.g., USB or IEEE 1394 (Firewire)) or proprietary busses, or anycombination thereof. Alternatively, the solid-state drive 164 can bedisposed within the information handling system 100.

The information handling system 100 can further include a managementcontroller 170 that can be coupled to the chipset 110 via a systemcommunication bus 172, such as a control bus. The management controller170 may be on a main circuit board (e.g., a baseboard, a motherboard, orany combination thereof), integrated onto another component such as thechipset 110, in another suitable location, or any combination thereof.Although not illustrated, another resource, such as the processors 102or 104, the memory 120, the graphics interface 130, the video display134, the I/O interface 140, or the disk controller 150, or anycombination thereof, can be coupled to the management controller 170.Commands, communications, or other signals may be sent to or receivedfrom the management controller 170 by any one or any combination ofresources previously described. The management controller 170 can bepart of an integrated circuit or a chip set within the informationhandling system 100.

The information handling system 100 can also include an I/O interface180 that can be connected to the chipset 110 via the I/O channel 112.The I/O interface 180 can be coupled to a peripheral channel 182 thatcan be of the same industry standard or proprietary bus or linkarchitecture as the I/O channel 112, or of a different industry standardor proprietary bus or link architecture than the I/O channel 112. Assuch, the I/O interface 180 can extend the I/O channel 112 capacity whenthe peripheral channel 182 is the same as the I/O channel 112, ortranslate information from a type suitable to the industry standard orproprietary bus or link architecture of the I/O channel 112 to a typesuitable to a different industry standard or proprietary bus or linkarchitecture, and vise versa, when the peripheral channel 182 isdifferent than the I/O channel 182. Other I/O interfaces (notillustrated) may also be used in addition to the I/O interface 180, ifneeded or desired.

The peripheral channel 182 can include a bus structure that allows theinstallation and coupling of additional resources 184 through 186 to theinformation handling system. In accordance with an aspect (notillustrated), the peripheral channel 182 can also include one or morepoint-to-point links to the additional resources 184 through 186. Theexternal resources 184 through 186 can include a data storage system, agraphics interface, another suitable resource or any combinationthereof. The additional resources 184 through 186 can be on a maincircuit board, on separate circuit boards or add-in cards disposedwithin the information handling system 100, devices that are external tothe information handling system 100, or any combination thereof.

The information handling system 100 can also include a network interfacedevice 190 that is coupled to the I/O interface 180 via the peripheralchannel 182. The network interface device 190 may be a network interfacecard (NIC) disposed within the information handling system 100, on amain circuit board (e.g., a baseboard, a motherboard, or any combinationthereof), integrated onto another component such as the chipset 110, inanother suitable location, or any combination thereof. The networkinterface device 190 can include a network channel 192 and a networkchannel 194. The network interface device 190 can also includeadditional network channels (not illustrated). In accordance with anaspect, the network channels 192 and 194 are of a different industrystandard or proprietary bus or link architecture than the peripheralchannel 182, and the network interface device 190 can translateinformation from a type suitable to the industry standard or proprietarybus or link architecture of the peripheral channel 182 to a typesuitable to the industry standard or proprietary bus or linkarchitecture of the network channels 192 and 194, and vise versa. Thenetwork channels 192 and 194 can be of industry standard architecture(e.g., InfiniBand, Fibre Channel, Gb Ethernet, etc.), proprietarychannel architecture, or any combination thereof. Other networkinterface devices (not illustrated) may also be used in addition to thenetwork interface device 190, if needed or desired. The network channels192 and 194 can be coupled to network resources (not illustrated). Thenetwork resource can include another information handling system, a datastorage system, another network, a grid management system, anothersuitable resource or any combination thereof.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a storage service can becoupled to a network (e.g., the Internet), and can provide storagecapacity to the user to store a copy of the user's content. The storageservice can include a backup server, a data storage capacity, a datawarehouse, an on-line service account storage capacity, a dedicatedstorage service provider, another type of storage capacity, or anycombination thereof. The user can request the content provider todownload a copy of the content to the storage service at substantiallythe same time that the user originally obtains the content.Subsequently, the user can obtain the user's content from the storageservice. Because the storage service has received a duplicate copy ofthe content, downloaded directly from the content server, the user candownload the content from the storage service, and the content will bepackaged just as if it was downloaded from the content provider. Thus,the user is not burdened with understanding protection schemes in orderto obtain copies of the user's content, or to share the user's contentwith other devices. Furthermore, because the user has all of the user'scontent in one place, the storage service, recreating the user's librarymay only involve accessing the user's content at the storage service. Inorder to limit access to the user's content, the storage service canprovide the user with a way to securely access the user's content. Anon-limiting example of a way to provide secure access to content isthrough a login and password access control, a physical attribute suchas a fingerprint identification or another biometric identification, asecure device such as a smart card, a Java card, another access controlscheme, or any combination thereof.

FIGS. 2 through 7 illustrate an embodiment of a network, shown generallyas 200, and different embodiments of a method to permit a user toobtain, back up, and distribute protected content. The network 200includes a network 210, a content server 220, a storage service 230, auser system 240, and a media system 250. The content server 220, thestorage service 230, the user system 240, and the media system 250 areall coupled to the network 210 such that information can be communicatedvia the network 210. The storage service 230 includes a remote storagesystem 232. The remote storage system 232 functions to receive protectedcontent from the network 210, store protected content, and sendprotected content to the network 210. After reading this disclosure, itwill be appreciated that the remote storage system 232 can be a server,a data storage device, a distributed storage capacity, another suitablestorage system, or any combination thereof. It will be furtherappreciated after reading this disclosure that the remote storage system232 can be owned by, operated by, leased to, rented by, otherwise bemade available to the storage service 230, or any combination thereof.In the description below, different transactions are designated bydifferent ordinal numbers. The labeling of ordinals as used herein ismerely for convenience, and is not intended to imply a required order ofperformance or priority.

FIG. 2 illustrates a first transaction, wherein a content item 202 and alicense 204 are sent from the content server 220 to the user system 240.As a result of this transaction, a user can display the content on theuser system 240. In a second transaction, the content item 202 and thelicense 204 are sent from the content server 220 to the storage service230. In this transaction, the user can request the content server 220 tosend the content to the storage service 230 in order to back up thecontent. However, because the content item 202 and the license 204 aredelivered from the content server 220, the storage service 230 cansubsequently deliver the content just as if coming from the contentserver 220. For example, in a third transaction, the content item 202and the license 204 are sent from the storage service 230 to the mediasystem 250. Because the content item 202 and the license 204 aredelivered in the same manner as if it were delivered from the contentsystem 220, the user does not need to understand the protection schemeto distribute the content to the user's media system 250.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment 200 that includes a fourth transactionwhere the content item 202 and the license 204 are sent from the storageservice 230 to the user system 240. In this transaction, the user canre-obtain the user's content directly from the storage service 230 inthe event that the original protected content is lost, corrupted,inaccessible (e.g., as result of a failed storage device), or the like,on the user system 240. In another transaction (not illustrated), thecontent item 202 and the license 204 are sent from the storage service230 to the media system 250. In this way, the media system 250 can berestored in a similar manner to the user system 240.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment 200 that includes a fifth transactionwhere a content item 402 and a license 404 are received from the contentserver 220 by both the storage service 230 and the user system 240. Theuser can request that, when content is sent from the content provider220, it is substantially simultaneously received by the storage network230 and the user system 240. Other transactions (not illustrated) canfollow the fifth transaction, such that the content item 402 and thelicense 404 are sent to the media system 250, resent to the user system240, resent to the media system 250, or any combination thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment 200 that includes a sixth transactionwhere a content item 502 and a license 504 are sent from the contentserver 220 to the storage service 230 without passing through thenetwork 210. Subsequently, in a seventh transaction, the content item502 and the license 504 are sent by the storage service 230 to the usersystem 240. The content server 220 and the storage service 230 can becoupled to another network (not illustrated) to facilitate contenttransfers. As an example, the content provider 220 and the storageservice 240 may be owned and operated by the same entity. Othertransactions (not illustrated) can follow the seventh transaction, suchthat the content item 502 and the license 502 are resent to the usersystem 240, resent to the media system 250, or any combination thereof

FIG. 6 illustrates the use of secure devices 660 and 670 on the network200 to enable a user system 240 to share content with a media system.Here, a content item 602 and a license 604 are resident on the storageservice 230 and on the user system 240. In an eighth transaction, thelicense 604 is received from the user system 240 to the secure device660. Sending the secure item 604 to the secure device 660 can be inconjunction with sending the content item 602 and the license 604 to theuser system 240 (e.g., by any of the methods described above), or as aseparate activity. The secure device 660 can be easily carried from onelocation to another by the user. The secure device 660 can include asmart card, a Java card, another secure device, or any combinationthereof. Where the secure device 660 includes a web interfacecapability, the user can couple the secure device 660 to the mediasystem 250 and access the storage service 230. In a ninth transaction,the user can request the storage service 230 to send the content item602 to the media system 250, and in a tenth transaction, provide thelicense 604 to the media system 250 from the secure device 660. In thisway, the user can access the content item 602 from any device (e.g., themedia device 250) that is coupled to the network 210, and, by carryingthe license 604 on the secure device 660, display the content on anothersystem, as desired by the user. In an eleventh transaction, the user canrequest the storage service 230 to send the license 604 to anothersecure device 670, where, in a twelfth transaction, the secure device670 sends the license 604 to the media system 250 in order to displaythe content. In this way, if the user loses the secure device 660, orloses data on the secure device 660, the user can replace the lostlicense 604 from the storage service 230.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment 200 that includes a thirteenthtransaction where the storage service 230 includes a content player 234that receives a content item 702 and a license 704 from the storageservice 230. In a fourteenth transaction, the content player 234 sends acontent stream 706 to the media system 250. In this way, the user candisplay the content on the media system 250, and the media system 250does not need to store the content item 702.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment 200 that includes a fourteenthtransaction where a content item 802 and a license 804 are received fromthe content server 220 by the user system 240, but only the license 804is received by the storage service 230. The user can request that, whencontent is sent from the content provider 220, the license 804 issubstantially simultaneously received by the storage network 230 and theuser system 240. In a fifteenth transaction, the storage service sendsthe license 804 to the user system 240. In this way, the user canreplace a lost license 804 from the storage service 230. Othertransactions (not illustrated) can follow the fifteenth transaction,such that the license 804 is sent to the media system 250, resent to theuser system 240, resent to the media system 250, or any combinationthereof

Many different aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure arepossible. Some of those aspects and embodiments are described below.After reading this specification, skilled artisans will appreciate thatthose aspects and embodiments are only illustrative, and do not limitthe scope of the present invention.

In a first aspect, a method includes receiving at a remote storagesystem coupled to a network a content item from a content provider and alicense to the content item from the content provider, where the contentitem cannot be displayed on a user system without the license to thecontent item, receiving at the remote storage system a first requestfrom a first particular user system coupled to the network to send thecontent item and the license to the content item to the first particularuser system, wherein the first particular user system is coupled to thenetwork separately from the remote storage system, and sending thecontent item and the license to the content item from the remote storagesystem to the first particular user system in response to the firstrequest.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the method further includesreceiving at the remote storage system a second request from the firstparticular user system to send the content item to a second particularuser system coupled to the network, and sending the content item fromthe remote storage system to the second particular user system inresponse to the second request. In a further embodiment, the methodincludes receiving at the remote storage system a third request from thefirst particular user system to send the license to the content item tothe second particular user system, and sending the license to thecontent item from the remote storage system to the second particularuser system in response to the third request. In another embodiment, thesecond request and the third request comprise a same request. In yetanother embodiment, the method includes receiving at the remote storagesystem a third request from the first particular user system to send thelicense to the content item to a secure device coupled to the network,and sending the license to the content item from the remote storagesystem to the secure device in response to the third request. In stillanother embodiment, the method includes receiving at the remote storagesystem a third request from a secure device coupled to the secondparticular user system to send the content item to a second particularuser system coupled to the network, and sending the content item fromthe remote storage system to the second particular user system inresponse to the third request. In another embodiment, sending thecontent item to the second particular user system comprises streamingthe content item to the second particular user system from the remotestorage system.

In another embodiment of the first aspect, sending the content item andthe license to the content item to the first particular user system andreceiving the content item and the license to the content item from thecontent provider occurs substantially simultaneously. In still anotherembodiment of the first aspect, receiving the content item and thelicense to the content item from the content provider occurs over thenetwork. In yet another embodiment of the first aspect, receiving thecontent item and the license to the content item from the contentprovider occurs directly from the content provider.

In a second aspect, a method includes requesting at a first user systemcoupled to a network to receive from a content provider a content itemand a license to the content item, receiving at the first user systemthe content item and the license to the content item in response to therequest to the content provider, requesting from the first user systemthat the content provider send to a remote storage system coupled to thenetwork the content item and the license to the content item, where theremote storage system is coupled to the network separately from thefirst user system, and requesting from the first user system that theremote storage system send the content item to a second user systemcoupled to the network.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the method further includesrequesting from the first user system that the remote storage systemsend the license to the content item to the second user system. Inanother embodiment, the method includes sending from the first usersystem the license to the content item to a secure device. In stillanother embodiment, the method includes requesting from the first usersystem that the remote storage system send the license to the contentitem to a secure device. In yet another embodiment of the second aspect,the method includes requesting at the first user system coupled to anetwork to receive the content item and the license to the content itemfrom the remote storage system, and receiving at the first user systemthe content item and the license to the content item in response to therequest to the remote storage system.

In a third aspect, machine-executable code for an information handlingsystem comprising a first resource, wherein the machine-executable codeis embedded within a tangible medium includes instructions for carryingout a method including requesting at a first user system to receive acontent item and a license to the content item from a content provider,storing at the first user system the content item and the license to thecontent item in response to the request to the content provider,requesting from the first user system that the content provider send toa remote storage system coupled to the network the content item and thelicense to the content item, wherein the remote storage system iscoupled to the network separately from the first user system, andrequesting from the first user system that the remote storage systemsend the content item to a second user system coupled to the network.

In an embodiment of the third aspect, the method further includesrequesting from the first user system that the remote storage systemsend the license to the content item to the second user system. Inanother embodiment, the method includes sending from the first usersystem the license to the content item to a secure device. In stillanother embodiment, the method includes requesting from the first usersystem that the remote storage system send the license to the contentitem to a secure device. In yet another embodiment, the method furtherincludes requesting at the first user system to receive the content itemand the license to the content item from the remote storage system, andstoring at the first user system the content item and the license to thecontent item in response to the request to the remote storage system.

Note that not all of the activities described above in the generaldescription or the examples are required, that a portion of a specificactivity may not be required, and that one or more further activitiesmay be performed, in addition to those described. Still further, theorder in which activities are listed are not necessarily the order inwhich they are performed.

The specification and illustrations of the embodiments described hereinare intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of thevarious embodiments. The specification and illustrations are notintended to serve as an exhaustive and comprehensive description of allof the elements and features of apparatus and systems that use thestructures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure.Other embodiments may be used and derived from the disclosure, such thata structural substitution, logical substitution, or another change maybe made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly,the disclosure is to be regarded as illustrative rather thanrestrictive.

Certain features described herein in the context of separate embodimentsfor the sake of clarity, may also be provided in combination in a singleembodiment. Conversely, various features that are, for brevity,described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be providedseparately, or in any sub-combination. Further, reference to valuesstated in ranges includes each and every value within that range.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed above with regard to specific embodiments. However, thebenefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature(s) that maycause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur, or become morepronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeature of any or all the claims.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover any andall such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fallwithin the scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extentallowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determinedby the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims andtheir equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by theforegoing detailed description.

1. A method comprising: receiving at a remote storage system coupled toa network: a content item from a content provider; and a license to thecontent item from the content provider, wherein the content item cannotbe displayed on a user system without the license to the content item;receiving at the remote storage system a first request from a firstparticular user system coupled to the network to send the content itemand the license to the content item to the first particular user system,wherein the first particular user system is coupled to the networkseparately from the remote storage system; and in response to the firstrequest, sending the content item and the license to the content itemfrom the remote storage system to the first particular user system. 2.The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving at the remotestorage system a second request from the first particular user system tosend the content item to a second particular user system coupled to thenetwork; and in response to the second request, sending the content itemfrom the remote storage system to the second particular user system. 3.The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving at the remotestorage system a third request from the first particular user system tosend the license to the content item to the second particular usersystem; and in response to the third request, sending the license to thecontent item from the remote storage system to the second particularuser system.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second request andthe third request comprise a same request.
 5. The method of claim 2,further comprising: receiving at the remote storage system a thirdrequest from the first particular user system to send the license to thecontent item to a secure device coupled to the network; and in responseto the third request, sending the license to the content item from theremote storage system to the secure device.
 6. The method of claim 2,further comprising: receiving at the remote storage system a thirdrequest from a secure device coupled to the second particular usersystem to send the content item to a second particular user systemcoupled to the network; and in response to the third request, sendingthe content item from the remote storage system to the second particularuser system.
 7. The method of claim 2, wherein sending the content itemto the second particular user system comprises streaming the contentitem to the second particular user system from the remote storagesystem.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the content item andthe license to the content item to the first particular user system andreceiving the content item and the license to the content item from thecontent provider occurs substantially simultaneously.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein receiving the content item and the license to thecontent item from the content provider occurs over the network.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein receiving the content item and the license tothe content item from the content provider occurs directly from thecontent provider.
 11. A method comprising: requesting at a first usersystem coupled to a network to receive from a content provider: acontent item; and a license to the content item; in response to therequest to the content provider, receiving at the first user system: thecontent item; and the license to the content item; requesting from thefirst user system that the content provider send to a remote storagesystem coupled to the network, wherein the remote storage system iscoupled to the network separately from the first user system: thecontent item; and the license to the content item; and requesting fromthe first user system that the remote storage system send the contentitem to a second user system coupled to the network.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising requesting from the first user system thatthe remote storage system send the license to the content item to thesecond user system.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprisingsending from the first user system the license to the content item to asecure device.
 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising requestingfrom the first user system that the remote storage system send thelicense to the content item to a secure device.
 15. The method of claim11, further comprising: requesting at the first user system coupled to anetwork to receive from the remote storage system: the content item; andthe license to the content item; and in response to the request to theremote storage system, receiving at the first user system: the contentitem; and the license to the content item.
 16. Machine-executable codefor an information handling system comprising a first resource, whereinthe machine-executable code is embedded within a tangible medium andincludes instructions for carrying out a method comprising: requestingat a first user system to receive from a content provider: a contentitem; and a license to the content item; in response to the request tothe content provider, storing at the first user system: the contentitem; and the license to the content item; requesting from the firstuser system that the content provider send to a remote storage systemcoupled to the network, wherein the remote storage system is coupled tothe network separately from the first user system: the content item; andthe license to the content item; and requesting from the first usersystem that the remote storage system send the content item to a seconduser system coupled to the network.
 17. The machine-executable code ofclaim 16, wherein the method further comprises requesting from the firstuser system that the remote storage system send the license to thecontent item to the second user system.
 18. The machine-executable codeof claim 16, further comprising sending from the first user system thelicense to the content item to a secure device.
 19. Themachine-executable code of claim 16, further comprising requesting fromthe first user system that the remote storage system send the license tothe content item to a secure device.
 20. The machine-executable code ofclaim 16, wherein the method further comprises: requesting at the firstuser system to receive from the remote storage system: the content item;and the license to the content item; and in response to the request tothe remote storage system, storing at the first user system: the contentitem; and the license to the content item.